Cooling container suitable for cooling a beverage

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a cooling container that makes it easy to handle a beverage such as canned beer or bottled wine cooled with ice.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A commonly used cooling container suitable for easily cooling an alcoholic beverage such as beer, wine or sake at parties in the open air or in hotels or for keeping pre-chilled canned beer, bottled wine or the like in cool conditions has been such that an appropriate amount of ice blocks are received in an icebox of heat insulation material with an opened upper end and a closed bottom. Then, an object to be cooled in a solid form such as canned beer or bottled wine is plunged into the ice blocks. Ice blocks received in an icebox are smaller ice pieces produced by an ice machine or cracked ice of irregular shapes prepared by cracking larger ice blocks with an ice pick.

[0005] An icebox is a rectangular box having an opened upper end and a closed bottom or a lidded box having a lid of heat insulation material installed at the opened upper end of the box. Further, an icebox for cooling or cool-keeping a single piece of an object to be cooled in a solid form such as bottled wine is a portable type icebox with a small volume that receives the single piece of an object to be cooled and a small amount of ice blocks for cooling the object to be cooled. In this case, the single piece of an object to be cooled in a solid form is plunged into the ice blocks in the icebox while being made to shove the ice blocks apart, and the object to be cooled is cooled by ice blocks and cold water melted from the ice blocks. Also, an object to be cooled in a solid form, such as canned beer, which has been sufficiently cooled can be kept cool by plunging it into the ice blocks in the icebox.

[0006] However, when an object to be cooled in a solid form such as canned beer, bottled beer or bottled wine is plunged by hand into the ice blocks received in the icebox, the ice blocks obstruct such action, making it difficult to push down the object into a sufficient depth in the ice blocks. Therefore, the object to be cooled is left being shallowly plunged into the ice blocks, which may results in a poor cooling or poor cool-keeping effect for the object to be cooled. The shapes of cans and bottles of beverages such as canned beer and bottled wine are generally slender. Therefore, when an object to be cooled of such a slender shape is released from hands at right above the icebox after having been plunged into the ice blocks, the object to be cooled becomes a condition in which it easily topples in the icebox, because a lower portion of the object to be cooled is in fluid ice blocks and cold water. Therefore, handling of an object to be cooled such as unfinished opened canned beer or bottled wine has needed attention, because there is worry that such an object to be cooled of a slender shape topples in the icebox. If it topples, the content of the object to be cooled flows out or the cold water flows into the object to be cooled.

[0007] Further, in case where an icebox receiving a single piece of an object to be cooled of a slender shape is placed on the ground or on a table, when the object to be cooled of a slender shape topples in the icebox, the object applies load to an upper end portion of the icebox. Then, because of the movement of the center of gravity, the icebox itself becomes to easily topple on the ground or on the table. Therefore, handling of the icebox itself has also needed attention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide a cooling container that hardly topples even when an object to be cooled of a slender shape is received in it for cooling or cool-keeping purposes, and the object to be cooled is conveniently handled with the cooling container.

[0009] Means to achieve the object of the invention is characterized by dividing inside a container for receiving ice and water into at least two parts with a partition and forming the partition itself or at an end portion of the partition a through-connection portion that allows only fluid to pass through between the parts. Accordingly, with the container, an object to be cooled received in one of the parts is not obstructed by ice received in the other part (invention in claim 1).

[0010] Here, the container may be a box with an opened upper end and a closed bottom having a hollow cylinder form of a cross-sectional shape such as a round or a polygon. An open-and-close type lid or a detachable type lid may be attached to the opened upper end. For such a container, an existing icebox of hard or soft insulation material suitable for cooling a beverage may be used. The partition element for dividing inside the container is an element of a hollow cylinder form of a round or polygonal cross-sectional shape having openings at both ends, a cup form in a stable form having an opened upper end and a closed bottom, folding-screen-like foldable flat plates or a curved plate, all of which are thin and made of material such as stainless steel, aluminum or plastic. Material used for the partition element is a perforated plate such as a meshed or punched plate having small perforations (through-connection portion) through which only the water out from the ice and water (ice blocks and cold water) passes or it is a plate element formed with clearance (through-connection portion) through which only water out from the ice and water passes. Volume that is suitable for a part of the container, formed by being divided by the partition, which receives an object to be cooled is such that it receives a single piece of canned beer, bottled beer, bottled wine, a soft bag containing a beverage or the like leaving a little clearance. However, it is not always a single piece of object to be cooled that is received in the one part of the container. Further, at least one of two parts inside the container divided by the partition is a part for receiving ice and water, and the other part is a part for receiving an object to be cooled. Not ice, but only cold water flows through the partition element into the part for receiving an object to be cooled from the part for storing ice and water. Therefore, putting and taking an object to be cooled into and out from the part for receiving an object to be cooled is facilitated without being obstructed by ice blocks, so that handling of the object to be cooled becomes easier.

[0011] In this invention, an elastic member contacting with an object to be cooled received in one part of a container to retain its position may be provided (invention of claim 2). The elastic member in this case is an annular element of sponge, urethane rubber, thin soft resin material or a plurality of small pieces in a form obtainable by dividing the annular element. The elastic member contacts with an object to be cooled received in one part in the container to stabilize a position of the object to be cooled. Thus the elastic member prevents the object to be cooled from tilting and toppling in the container, and it also serves to scrape off water on an outside periphery of the object to be cooled when the object is pulled out from the container.

[0012] Further, the partition element may have a hollow cylinder form of any cross-sectional shape or a cup form and may be received in the container. In this configuration, the object to be cooled is received in the partition element in a way such that the object to be cooled can be put in and taken out of the partition element (invention of claim 3). In this case, the partition element having a hollow cylinder form or a cup form may be fixed to the bottom of the container so that the partition element is unitized with the container or may be detachably installed to the container with hangers, screws or other similar means. When detachably installed, washing and cleaning work of the container and the partition element become easier.

[0013] Further, support strip elements for positioning and retaining the partition element in the container may be provided between the container and the partition element having a hollow cylinder form or a cup form (invention of claim 4). The support strip elements may be several of fine wires or plates of soft or hard material and may be fixed to or detachably installed at a plurality of portions between the container and the partition element so that the partition element received in the container is reinforced.

[0014] Further, the partition element having a hollow cylinder form of any cross-sectional shape or a cup form car be stretchable in an axial direction of the cylinder (invention of claim 5). The partition element of a stretchable structure may be formed in a bellows type or in a telescopic rod type. Telescopic movement of the partition element having a hollow cylinder form or a cup form is adjusted corresponding to overall lengths of a plurality of kinds of objects to be cooled having different overall lengths. This length adjustment function makes it possible to cool a plurality of kinds of objects to be cooled having different overall lengths in a most appropriate manner depending on the kind of an object to be cooled, so that a cooling container having increased flexibility of use can be provided.

[0015] The nature, principle, and utility of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals or characters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In the accompanying drawings:

[0017]
FIG. 1A is a side view of a cooling container, including a partial cross section, showing a first embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 1B is a plan view of the cooling container in FIG. 1A;

[0018]
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cooling container showing a second embodiment of the invention;

[0019]
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a cooling container showing a third embodiment of the invention;

[0020]
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cooling container showing a fourth embodiment of the invention;

[0021]
FIG. 5 is a side view of a cooling container, including a partial cross section, showing a fifth embodiment of the invention;

[0022]
FIG. 6 is a side view of a cooling container, including a partial cross section, showing a sixth embodiment of the invention;

[0023]
FIG. 7 is a side view of a cooling container, including a partial cross section, showing a seventh embodiment of the invention;

[0024]
FIG. 8A is a side view of a cooling container, including a partial cross section, showing an eighth embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 8B is a plan view of the container in FIG. 8A;

[0025]
FIG. 9A is a side view of a cooling container, including a partial cross section, showing a ninth embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 9B is a side view showing an example of alternative use of the container in FIG. 9A;

[0026]
FIG. 10A is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a cooling container showing a tenth embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 10B is a plan view of the partition element in FIG. 10A;

[0027]
FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a cooling container showing an eleventh embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 11B is a plan view of the partition element in FIG. 11A;

[0028]
FIG. 12A is a plan view of a cooling container showing a twelfth embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 12B is a perspective view of the partition element in FIG. 12A; and

[0029]
FIG. 13A is a plan view of a cooling container showing a thirteenth embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 13B is a perspective view of the partition element in FIG. 13A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] A cooling container suitable for cooling a beverage according to a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1(A) and (B) is for cooling a single piece of an object 1 to be cooled such as canned beer or bottled wine. The cooling container has a container 10 and a partition element 20 that divides the interior of the container 10 into two parts of m and n. The container 10 is a box of a round cross-sectional shape having an opened upper end and a closed bottom and formed with insulation material such as stainless steel. The partition element 20 is of a hollow cylinder form of a round cross-sectional shape of a perforated plate, made of aluminum or stainless steel, received in the container 10 and has a portion 21 of a hollow cylinder form with opened upper end. The partition element 20 has through-connection portions 22 through which only cold water out of the ice and water flows, and the through-connection portions 22 are, for example, a large number of small perforations crosswise formed on the portion 21 of a hollow cylinder form. Besides a punched metal plate shown in FIG. 1, a meshed stainless steel is also effective for the partition element 20. Both the container 10 and the partition element 20 are constituted by hard material, the partition element 20 of a hollow cylinder form of a round cross-sectional shape is received in a center portion of the container 10 in its inside, and the part m for receiving ice and water (ice blocks and cold water) is formed between an inside periphery of the container 10 and an outside periphery of the partition element 20. An appropriate amount of ice blocks 31 is received in the part m. The ice blocks 31 are small-sized ice pieces of a regular shape produced by an ice machine or similar means or cracked ice of irregular shapes. Each of the through-connection portions 22 that are small perforations at the partition element 20, is set to a size through which the ice blocks 31 can not pass, so that only cold water or cold air in the part m passes through the through-connection portions 22 to flow into the part n within the partition element 20. The part n in the partition element 20 is a part having volume that receives the object 1 to be cooled.

[0032] The partition element 20 is an element having a hollow cylinder form of a round cross-sectional shape with an inside diameter and height suitable for receiving a single piece of the object 1 to be cooled in a solid form such as canned beer. The object 1 to be cooled shown in FIG. 1A is a canned beer. An inside diameter of the partition element 20 is set to a dimension several centimeter larger than that of an outside diameter of the beer can, and a lower portion of the piece of the canned beer is inserted into the partition element 20. A lower end of the partition element 20 is detachably placed on a center of a bottom face of the container 10. An upper end of the partition element 20 placed in the container 10 and an upper end of the container 10 are about the same height, and support strip elements 51 are detachably installed at a plurality of positions apart from each other on both an opened upper end portion 23 of the partition element 20 and an opened upper end portion 13 of the container 10 for connecting both the opened upper end portions 13 and 23. The support strip elements 51 support the opened upper end portion 23 of the partition element 20 in the container 10, preventing the partition element 20 from tilting and toppling at a bottom of the container 10. In FIG. 1B, the support strip elements 51 are provided at two positions with spacing of 180 degrees in the part m of a hollow cylinder form of a round cross-sectional shape. However, the support strip elements 51 are preferably provided at three positions with spacing of 120 degrees or at four positions with spacing of 90 degrees so that the partition element 20 is more stably supported. Further, the support strip elements 51 are installed with a fitting-in structure on the container 10 and the partition element 20 as shown in FIG. 1, and they can also be installed with means such as screws or clips provided at both ends of the support strip elements.

[0033] The container 10 receiving the partition element 20 is placed on a substantially horizontal place, for example, on a table 2, an appropriate amount of the ice blocks 31 or the ice blocks 31 and an appropriate amount of water are put into the part m in the container 10. The ice blocks 31 disperse in a lower portion of the part m, and cold water 32 cooled by the ice blocks 31 flows through clearance (through-connection portion) provided between an lower portion of the partition element 20 and the bottom face of the container 10. The cold water 32 also flows through the through-connection portions 22 of the small perforations at the portion 21 of a hollow cylinder form into the part n in the partition element 20 and collects there. At the same time, cold air from the part m, or the part outside the part n, flows into the part n in the partition element 20 to collect there. When, in this condition, canned beer as the object 1 to be cooled is inserted through the opened upper end portion 23 of the cylindrical partition element 20, the object 1 to be cooled is placed on the bottom face of the container 10 with its lower portion being immersed in the cold water 32 in the partition element 20. In this case, an upper portion of the object 1 to be cooled projects out of the opened upper end portion 23 of the partition element 20. Further, when the cold water 32 in the partition element 20 is at a higher level or when the object 1 to be cooled is an unfinished canned beer that is light in weight, the object 1 to be cooled lifts up from the bottom of the container with effect of buoyancy exerted by the cold water 32 as the dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1A show.

[0034] Such insertion of the object 1 to be cooled into the part n in the partition element 20 is simple and easy work to only immerse a lower portion of the object 1 to be cooled in the cold water 32. Further, when the object 1 to be cooled having been inserted into the partition element 20 is released from hands, the object 1 to be cooled stands on the bottom of the container 10 or slightly lifts up by buoyancy exerted by the cold water 32. At this time, a substantially intermediate portion of the object 1 to be cooled approaches the opened upper end portion 23 of the partition element 20, so that the position of the standing object 1 to be cooled is always stably retained by the opened upper end portion 23. The object 1 to be cooled inserted in the partition element 20 and retained in its position is cooled by the cold water 32 and cold air in the partition element 20. Further, when the object 1 to be cooled is a pre-chilled object directly taken out from a refrigerator, it is kept cool by the cold water 32 and cold air in the partition element 20. Such a method of cooling and cool-keeping of the object 1 to be cooled by the cold water 32 and cold air does not excessively cool the object to be cooled, so that the method is suitable for a cooling container for beer or wine.

[0035] Further, an outside periphery of the object 1 to be cooled placed to stand in the partition element 20 approaches an internal periphery of the cylindrical partition element 20. Therefore, even if the object 1 to be cooled starts to tilt for toppling, a part of its outside periphery contacts with a part of the opened upper end portion 23 of the partition element 20 when it slightly tilts, so that the object 1 to be cooled is prevented from further tilting. It means that there is no worry of toppling of the object 1 to be cooled stood in the partition element 20, so that handling of the object 1 to be cooled becomes easier. Because the object 1 to be cooled does not topple in the partition element 20, there is little movement of the center of gravity of the container 10. Therefore, there is no worry of tilting and toppling of the container 10 on the table 2 even if an area for placing the container 10 on the table 2 is small. Thus, handling convenience of a cooling container suitable for cooling a beverage is enhanced.

[0036] The partition element 20 may be fixed to and unitized with the bottom of the container 10. However, it is preferable that the partition element 20 is detachably installed at the bottom of the container 10 for easier washing and cleaning of both inside and outside of the container. Further, the support strip elements 51 are not required when fixing the partition element 20 to the bottom of the container 10 or temporarily detachably fixing the partition element 20 to the bottom of the container 10 as embodiments in FIGS. 6 and 7, because there is less worry of tilting and toppling of the partition element 20.

[0037] A second embodiment in FIG. 2 and a third embodiment in FIG. 3 show alternative examples of the shapes of the container 10 and the cylindrical partition element 20.

[0038] In the second embodiment in FIG. 2, the partition element 20 having a portion 21 of a hollow cylinder form of a substantially square shape is received in the container 10 of a round cross-sectional shape. In this case, when the outside periphery of the object 1 to be cooled of a round cross-sectional shape contacts with two adjoining inside wall faces of the portion 21 of a hollow cylinder form of a substantially square shape, the object 1 to be cooled is supported at the two points on the two adjoining inside wall faces without rolling sideways. Therefore, the position of the object 1 to be cooled stood in the partition element 20 is stable. Further, a broad breadth portion m-1 and a narrow breadth portion m-2 are formed in the part m between the portion 21 of a hollow cylinder form of a substantially square cross-sectional shape and the container 10 of a round cross-sectional shape. Therefore, the size of ice to be put in the part m can be selected from a wide range of sizes. That is, when there are ice blocks such as cracked ice pieces that are large-sized and cannot be received in the part m having a certain breadth in the cooling container suitable for cooling a beverage shown in FIG. 1, the large-sized ice blocks can be received in the broad breadth portion m-1. Thus, ice can be selected from a wide range of sizes.

[0039] In a third embodiment in FIG. 3, the partition element 20 having the portion 21 of a hollow cylinder form of a round cross-sectional shape is received in the container 10 of a substantially rectangular shape. In this case as well, a broad breadth portion m-3 and a narrow breadth portion m-4 are formed in the part m, so that ice to be put into the part m can be, selected from a wide range of sizes.

[0040] In a fourth embodiment in FIG. 4, the partition element 20 is suspended to be received in the container 10. In this case, the partition element 20 is of a cup form having an opened upper end and a closed bottom formed with a perforated plate, and a bottom portion 24 is constituted by a perforated plate of a reverse cone shape. Suspension arms 52 extend in a radial pattern from a plurality of positions of the opened upper end portion 23 of the partition element 20. Tip portions of the suspension arms 52 are detachably placed on an opened upper end portion 13 of the container 10, and the partition element 20 is retained at a center of the container 10 in its inside. In the embodiment in FIG. 4, the-partition element 20 may be plunged and inserted into the ice blocks 31 after an appropriate amount of the ice blocks 31 is put in the container 10. Because the bottom of the partition element 20 is of a reverse cone shape, the partition element 20 can be easily plunged into the ice blocks 31. Further, the suspension arms 52 also serve as support strip elements for preventing the partition element 20 from tilting and toppling in the container 10.

[0041] In a fifth embodiment in FIG. 5, the partition element 20 is received in the container 10 by detachably hanging on a side wall of the container 10 a handle 53 of a hook shape fixed to one part on the outside periphery of the partition element 20. The partition element 20 in this case is preferably of a hollow cylinder form of any cross-sectional shape with opened upper and lower ends or of a cup form with an opened upper end and a closed bottom.

[0042] In a sixth embodiment in FIG. 6, the partition element 20 is detachably fixed to the bottom of the container 10. Elastic catch strips 14 are fixed to a plurality of positions on the bottom face of the container 10, and catch holes 25 into which the catch strips 14 are fitted by being elastically deformed are provided at a lower portion of the cylindrical portion 21 of the partition element 20. When the lower portion of the partition element 20 is pushed in along the catch strips 14 into the container 10, the catch strips 14 are outwardly elastically deformed to be caught in the catch holes 25, so that the partition element 20 is temporarily fixed to the center portion of the bottom face of the container 10. This temporary fixing prevents the partition element 20 from tilting and toppling. When the partition element 20 is pulled toward right above of the container 10, the catch strips 14 are released from the catch holes 25 and the partition element 20 is taken out. By making the partition element 20 and the container 10 detachable from each other, washing and cleaning of the partition element 20 and the container 10 are facilitated.

[0043] In a seventh embodiment in FIG. 7, a magnetic plate 15 such as a steel plate is fixed to the bottom of the container 10, a magnet 16 of a thin plate shape is fixed to an undersurface of the partition element 20 of a cup form having a bottom, and the partition element 20 is temporarily detachably fixed to the bottom of the container 10 by magnetic attraction. What is convenient in this case is that an installation position of the partition element 20 at the bottom of the container 10 is movable sideways. Further, the magnetic plate 15 is not needed when the bottom face itself of the container 10 is constituted by magnetic material, so that the partition plate 20 is conveniently fixed to any part of the bottom face.

[0044] In an eighth embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A and 8E, an elastic member 41 supporting the object 1 to be cooled by contacting with its outside periphery is installed on the opened upper end portion 23 of the partition element 20. The elastic member 41 is, for example, of annular urethane rubber, sponge or soft resin. An outer-side portion 41a of a circular shape is fixed to the opened upper end portion 23 of the partition element 20 and an inner-side portion 41b of a circular shape inwardly projects from the opened upper end portion 23. An inside diameter of the inner-side portion 41b of the elastic member 41 is set similar to or a slightly smaller than an outside diameter of the object 1 to be cooled. The circular inner-side portion 41b is divided into a plurality of portions by incisions 42 formed in radial directions at a plurality of places at equal intervals so that it easily plastically deforms when contacted with the object 1 to be cooled.

[0045] When inserting the object 1 to be cooled such as canned beer into the part n in the partition element 20, the inner-side portion 41b of the elastic member 41 elastically deforms by being slid with the object 1 to be cooled to elastically supports the outside periphery of the object 1 to be cooled. The support by the elastic member 41 eliminates worry of tilting and toppling of the object 1 to be cooled, because the movement of the object 1 to be cooled in the partition element 20 is prevented. Further, even if the object 1 to be cooled tries to lift up by being driven by buoyancy exerted by the cold water in the partition element 20, lifting up is prevented by the support of the elastic member 41. As a result, it becomes possible that the object 1 to be cooled is immersed to a desired depth in the cold water in the partition element 20, so that it is always effectively cooled or kept cool. Further, when pulling up the object 1 to be cooled from the partition element 20, the elastic member 41 serves as a squeegee to scrape out water on the outside periphery of the object 1. Then, the object 1 to be cooled that is pulled out can be more conveniently handled.

[0046] In a ninth embodiment in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the cylindrical portion 21 of the partition element 20 can be stretchable in an axial direction. For example, the cylindrical portion 21 is constituted in such a way that a lower cylindrical portion 21a with an opened upper end and a closed bottom, an intermediate cylindrical portion 21b with opened upper and lower ends, and an upper cylindrical portion 21c with opened upper and lower ends are connected to each other in a form of a telescopic rod. An outside periphery of the intermediate cylindrical portion 21b is axially slidably connected to an inside periphery of the lower cylindrical portion 21a with a largest diameter, and an outside periphery of the upper cylindrical portion 21c with a smallest diameter is axially slidably connected to an inside periphery of the intermediate cylindrical portion 21b. Formed between the lower cylindrical portion 21a and the intermediate cylindrical portion 21b is lock means (not shown) that retains the intermediate cylindrical portion 21b at a position of any height relative to the lower cylindrical portion 21a. Similar lock means is formed also between the intermediate cylindrical portion 21b and the upper cylindrical portion 21c. The lock means can be, for example, tapered faces that frictionally couple the inside and outside of the partition elements or pinning means using small perforations (or the through-connection portions 22) of the partition element 20, a perforated plate, as pinning holes.

[0047]
FIG. 9A shows the partition element 20 of which cylindrical portion 21 is extended to its maximum length for a maximum height of the partition element 20. Bottled beer or bottled wine as the object 1 to be cooled having a long overall length is preferably inserted into the part n in the partition element 20. The object 1 to be cooled indicated with the dash-dotted lines in FIG. 9A is a wine bottle, which tilts and topples more easily by a degree corresponding to its elongated overall length. However, even with such a wine bottle, tilting and toppling is securely prevented by making higher the height of the cylindrical portion 21 of the partition element 20. FIG. 9B shows the partition element 20 in which the upper cylindrical portion 21c is pushed in into the intermediate cylindrical portion 21b for a lower height of the cylindrical portion 21. In this case, the object 1 to be cooled is preferably a canned beer or the like of which overall length is shorter than that of a wine bottle. By making the height of the partition element 20 variably adjustable, the height of the partition element 20 is suitably adaptable to each of a plurality of kinds of objects to be cooled having a variety of overall lengths, from short to long, so that a cooling container having excellent flexibility of use is provided.

[0048] The container 10 in a tenth embodiment shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B is constituted by foldable, flexible insulation material, and the partition element 20 of hard material is received in the container 10 which is flexible. The flexible insulation material constituting the container 10 is insulation material used for existing containers such as foldable soft cooler packs, and it is, for example, plastic foam sheet itself or a waterproof insulation material prepared by thermally molding a thin polyvinyl chloride film on the entire surface of the plastic foam sheet to unitize them together. The flexible container 10 becomes a stable box shape when the ice blocks 31 or the cold water 32 is put into the part m between the container 10 and the partition element 20. Handles 17 are installed at an outside periphery of the opened upper end portion 13 for improved portability of the flexible container 10 or easier draining of the cold water or ice from the container 10.

[0049] Further, as shown in FIG. 10B, in this embodiment the partition element 20 is composed of the cylindrical portion 21 of a hard material and a bottom plate 26 integrally formed at a lower end of the cylindrical portion 21. The bottom plate 26 has a round shape and is made of a hard material. The bottom plate 26 has a larger diameter than that of the cylindrical portion 21. The bottom plate 26 having a round shape has the same shape as that of the bottom face of the container 10. When the hard bottom plate 26 is placed at the bottom of the container 10, the position of the flexible container 10 is more stable and it can he handled easier.

[0050] An eleventh embodiment is shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. A cover element 18 of an open-and-close type is connected to a part of the opened upper end portion 13 of the container 10 having a substantially rectangular shape, and a water absorbent sheet 19 such as urethane sponge or the like is adhered to one of the surfaces of the cover element 18. FIG. 11A shows a state when the cover element 18 is opened toward an outside periphery of the container 10, in which case the water absorbent sheet 19 positions at a lower-side face of the cover element 18. FIG. 11B shows a state when the cover element 18 is closed to cover a part of the opened upper end portion 13 of the container 10, in which case the water absorbent sheet 19 positions at an upper-side face of the cover element 18. When the cover element 18 is of a flat shape and is closed to cover a part of the opened upper end portion 13 of the container 10, both end portions of the cover element 18 are detachably connected to the opened upper end portion 13 by, for example, fasteners 61. Thus, the position of the cover element 18 becomes stable. In the case when the object 1 to be cooled is cooled or cool-kept in the state shown in FIG. 11B and there is water on the outside periphery of the object 1 to be cooled when it is taken out from the partition element 20, the water is absorbed and removed by the water absorbent sheet 19 by making an lower end of the object 1 to be cooled slightly touch the water absorbent sheet 19 on the cover element 18. The cover element 18 reinforces a part of the opened upper end portion of the container 10 when the container 10 is constituted with flexible insulation material.

[0051] In a twelfth embodiment shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the container 10 of a rectangular shape receives at one of its corner portions the partition element 20 of a foldable type. The partition element 20 shown in FIG. 12A is constituted in a hollow cylinder form of a rectangular cross-sectional shape with four perforated plates serving as partition plates of 27a, 27b, 27c, and 27d. As FIG. 12B shows, the two partition plates 27a and 27b are connected by a hinge 27e, and the remaining two partition plates 27c and 27d are connected by a hinge 27f. The partition element 20 is disposed to be received at a corner of the container 10 of a rectangular shape so as to be positioned along adjoining inside wall faces containing the corner, with the two partition plates 27c and 27d being opened at 90 degrees. The remaining two partition plates 27a and 27b opened at an angle of 90 degrees are disposed and received at the bottom of the container 10 opposing to the opened partition plate 27c and 27d. Thus, the partition element 20 of a hollow cylinder form of a rectangular cross-sectional shape is formed. The partition element 20 described above may be installed on the bottom of the container 10 at a fixed portion or at any portion when movably installed. With the container 10 constituted by a foldable flexible insulation material, the partition element 20 can also be folded when the container 10 is folded, and the entire cooling container becomes more compact and convenient to carry.

[0052] In a thirteenth embodiment in FIGS. 13A and 13B, a single piece of the flexible partition element 20 forms the two parts m and n by using a corner portion in the container 10 of a rectangular shape. The single piece of the partition element 20 is a flexible mesh as shown in FIG. 13B, bent at approximately 90 degrees with a curve at one corner and received in a standing state at a corner portion of the container 10. An object to be cooled is received in the part n surrounded by the corner portion of the container 10 and the partition element 20. When the container 10 is not in use for cooling of an object to be cooled or when it is folded away, the flexible partition element 20 may be bent in a curve along adjoining inside wall faces containing one corner of the container 10 as shown by dash-dotted lines in FIG. 13A. Thus, the cooling container 10 can be made compact, portable and convenient to carry.

[0053] In a cooling container according to the invention, ice and water are put at least in one of two parts in the container divided by a partition element, and an object to be cooled is received in the other part in which ice is not put in. Therefore, an object to be cooled such as canned beer or bottled wine can be conveniently inserted in the container without being obstructed by the ice. Further, movement such as tilting or rolling of the object to be cooled is prevented by the partition element, so that a commercially highly value-added cooling container, with which an object to be cooled is easily handled, can be provided.

[0054] Further, by providing an elastic member that contacts with and retains the position of an object to be cooled received in one part of the container, tilting and toppling in the container of the object to be cooled is prevented. Also, water on an outside periphery of the object to be cooled is scraped out by the elastic member when taking out the object to be cooled from the container. Therefore, handling of an object to be cooled inside and outside the container becomes more convenient.

[0055] Further, by making the partition element in a hollow cylinder form of any cross-sectional shape or in a cup form, a cooling container with high added-value for practical use can be provided. Such a partition element described above receives in stable conditions an object to be cooled having a cylinder shape of a round cross-section such as canned beer, canned juice or bottled wine.

[0056] Further, by reinforcing the partition element in the container by support strip elements provided between the container and the partition element having a hollow cylinder form or a cup form, the position of the object to be cooled is further stabilized. Therefore, even an object to be cooled is a slender, heavy object such as a bottle, it can be cooled in a stable position. Thus, reliability of the container is improved.

[0057] Further, because the partition element of a hollow cylinder form or of a cup form is designed to be stretchable in an axial direction of the partition element, the height of the partition element of a hollow cylinder form or of a cup form is adjustable and can be adapted for a plurality of kinds of objects to be cooled having a variety of heights such as canned beer and bottled wine. Therefore, a cooling container that can be effectively used for different kinds of objects to be cooled and has excellent flexibility of use can be provided.

[0058] While there has been described what are at present considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made thereto, and it is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Cooling container suitable for cooling a beverage

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